How to Survive as the Second Son of a Mage Family - Chapter 72

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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How to Survive as the Second Son of a Magic Family (72)

“Are you going to write another letter?”

“I have to.”

There’s still content I haven’t included.

Since I’ll use it as evidence, it would be good to include more definitive and explicit details.

Leo looked at his watch and said.

“We need to start getting ready to go out. I’ll just coat your letter one last time and then we’ll be back.”

“Where are you going?”

Narke opened his mouth in response to my question.

“To talk with Eric Asman.”

“Hmm?”

“Elias and Leo have been going there since yesterday. They’re already talking about investments.”

I was about to suggest we start working on that side too, but they’ve already begun on their own.

Well, those two aren’t the type to just sit still.

The Hailigenzei Orphanage was something Elias handled from start to finish in the first place.

Then, Narke took out a medicine bottle from the cabinet and opened his mouth with a determined expression.

“Let’s do it, Elias.”

“Oh, alright.”

Elias grinned and sat back down in his chair.

‘What are they doing that makes him look so determined?’

Narke gulped and took out his wand.

The moment he lightly tapped both of Elias’s shoulders with the wand, Elias’s face began to age rapidly.

Elias picked up the mirror he had placed face-down on the desk and admired his face.

“…!”

“It’s really perfect. Thanks, Narke.”

Narke smiled weakly and slumped down on the sofa in the corner.

It wasn’t just Elias’s face that had aged; his voice had also deepened maturely, making him look like a middle-aged man to anyone.

“…What is this?”

“I moved about 40 years forward. I went to the Council before, remember? I stood out because of my crutch, and many people recognize my face, so ordinary disguises wouldn’t work. How is it, not bad right?”

Narke answered while downing his second bottle of Wittelsbach elixir that Leo handed him.

‘Amazing.’

It’s not a particularly familiar magic, and there seems to be a reason why uncommonly used magic isn’t used much.

It’s because everyone can’t do it.

Who could casually use magic that even someone like Narke has to use while constantly drinking medicine?

Still, Leo’s disguise didn’t seem to be magic that completely overhauls everything, as Narke waved his wand from where he sat.

And once again, I couldn’t close my mouth.

“….”

“…Someone please shut Lucas’s mouth.”

Leo gestured at me with an embarrassed face. I looked at his long dark brown hair and shook my head.

“…None of you will get caught.”

“A person’s impression changes easily when you alter just a few elements. I changed both of them as I chose, and it was fun.”

Narke laughed while drinking another elixir.

Of course the impression would change if you turn ivory into black and make yesterday’s haircut look like hair grown for about 3 years. His eyebrows became darker, making his features more distinct. Leo was so worried that he even started wearing glasses.

Both Leo and Elias had their faces frequently sold to the media, creating risk, but with this much… there’s absolutely no chance of being recognized.

‘I like how thorough everyone is.’

I just need to focus on Gelda Asmann’s side.

Then, Elias, properly dressed, handed me an artifact with sensory transfer magic.

“We’re going. Listen carefully while writing your letter!”

* * *

[Don’t mind the investment money, okay? We don’t want anything, so just try everything you can. What’s 500,000 pel? I can give you more in the future.]

After about an hour, Elias moved to a tavern with Eric Asman. He must have gotten a room because the loud noise from earlier suddenly died down.

‘But he already gave 500,000 pel….’

Throwing around 50 million won like that, truly an imperial family member.

He says he has no money, but I think he saves it up for times like this.

I’ve already exchanged letters with Gelda several times, and now I’m writing the last letter to send.

After listening with one ear for another hour, Elias finally started saying something useful.

[So, actually…. Do you know about that side?]

[Huh? That side?]

Eric Asman seemed already drunk as his words began to slur.

[You know, to receive blessings…. Eh? This is a bit awkward to talk about here~ We all know, right?]

[Ah, we shouldn’t talk about that…. I’m sorry.]

[Come on, don’t be like that. Actually, I’m quite desperate right now. My health has gotten really bad. How many family members do I have to support, huh? Even if I’ve earned a lot now, I don’t know what will happen in the future…. Right?]

After that, Elias seemed to lose patience and ordered more alcohol, pouring it into Eric Asman’s mouth several times.

I heard the impact sound of something hitting the table and dishes clinking.

It sounds like he banged his head. How much did he make him drink to get so drunk he can’t even hold his head up….

‘I shouldn’t drink with this guy.’

I’m afraid I’ll end up like that too.

Elias whispered.

[So, besides your sister and you, are there others? The ones who became that this time.]

[…Let me just, ah, really just sleep a little. If I sleep for just 5 minutes, I think I’ll be fine?]

[Want to die?]

[Huh?]

[…No, not that. Hey, I’m really in a hurry, okay? So are there others who became it?]

[I don’t know. But it’s better if there aren’t any… No, there shouldn’t be any. That’s because… what is it, to receive vitriol, the competitors need to decrease.]

Eric Asman giggled for some reason.

‘He’s relatively lacking.’

Compared to Gelda Asmann’s thoroughness and wariness, this person is not good for Pleroma to use.

Of course, to someone blinded by business, an investor who readily provides 50 million won would seem like the most benevolent person, so I understand why his guard dropped quickly.

[How do you receive that? Tell me a little.]

[You just need to accomplish the mission. So, we’re subcontractors… There’s nothing set, but there are people who were originally there. If you get in their good graces, it should work? You know?]

What he’s saying seems a bit sloppy, but anyway, I can cross-verify what Gelda Asmann told me.

[So how do those missions come? I want to receive them too, hey.]

[That’s just… what was it? It’s been in my head since birth, so I don’t really know either. Hehe….]

[You useless bastard!]

[Please stop.]

I can feel Leo grinding his teeth even through the artifact.

Elias just got angry and now soothed Eric Asman with a gentle voice.

[Eh, anyway, I heard well. Hey, without you I would have… You’re really my benefactor.]

[Oh, what did I do.]

[So, about today’s conversation….]

CRASH―!

[Let’s not remember it.]

“….”

Right, he was always like this….

It seems Elias slammed Eric Asman’s head into something. Probably the wall. Since no groans or screams came, he must have fainted immediately.

Elias spoke as if refreshed.

[Brain damage is the best way to lose memories.]

[Seems like you already caused chemical brain damage? How many bottles of alcohol was that.]

[How many glasses did you drink?]

[One glass.]

[Boring~ Should I make them do more now?]

I let their conversation go in one ear and out the other as I fell into thought.

‘So they really did have a mission in their heads from birth… Gelda Asmann wasn’t lying.’

And I learned another crucial piece of information.

They can’t use vitriol.

‘Now I understand why Gelda Asmann was trying to move so quickly.’

‘The original residents’, meaning those who had been kidnapping people in Heiligenstadt until now, are middle managers.

They can’t use vitriol until they catch the eye of their superiors.

If they can use the special ability to read emotions but can’t use vitriol, they’re only half-complete.

‘And when I asked if there were others who became Pleroma this time, she said she didn’t know.’

There’s no way Pleroma would target only Heiligenstadt.

So, to find out how far they’ve extended their influence to recruit people… my relationship can’t end at just Gelda Asmann’s level.

I have to enter the interior of Pleroma through Gelda Asmann.

Elias called him a stupid bastard, but he became a good source of information.

Now it’s time to meet that middle manager.

From then on, I can handle it sufficiently with my own abilities.

* * *

When the promised day came, I visited Gelda Asmann’s house.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

Gelta raised her eyebrows as if asking what I meant, so I smiled and continued.

“Waiting for your letter made me forget I was even sick.”

“Ah.”

She smiled and drank her tea.

Of course she’d smile. She must have read my emotions while we talked.

Since I couldn’t love this kidnapping fanatic with a clear mind, I came after taking a level 10 potion.

I asked Leo if he could make it stronger, but he refused, saying there were reasons why they didn’t make and sell anything higher.

‘Anyway, this level seems effective enough.’

It was enough to prevent me from ruining things in a moment of anger.

I entertained the small talk and brought up the main topic.

“Shall we start soon?”

“Ah, yes.”

The current time was 3 AM.

It was a time when everyone would be asleep.

Since Elias and Leo were keeping Eric Asman occupied today too, there was no worry about anyone coming in.

“Actually, I acquired one more child in the meantime. They’ll probably be moved together with the child we got together before.”

“I see.”

I followed Gelta up to the top floor.

Gelta stood in front of the door at the end of the hallway, grasped her pendant, and turned the doorknob.

The scene that unfolded made me doubt my eyes.

Cool winter wind rushed in.

The high ceiling and arched roof, stained glass… even the religious symbols placed in the distance made it clear where this was.

“It’s a cathedral.”

“That’s right. It’s currently a storage facility I use.”

It’s probably a cathedral that exists in our world too, but like Strauchi’s place, this would also be in a different coordinate system from our world’s coordinates.

I ignored thoughts about unauthorized occupation and such, and asked the important question first.

“We were clearly at home, but this is surprising. I suppose you use magic to transport the children from here.”

“Well, you can actually cast transportation magic with targeted curse techniques from anywhere. Still… Mr. Baichel has been wanting to see this place for the past few days.”

“You were being considerate? I’m pleased.”

When I looked down at her and smiled, Gelta stared at me silently before turning her head away.

“….”

What was that about suddenly?

Gelda Asmann

Affection +8.5*

‘8.5?’

I’m sure it was 7.5 when I saw it before, so why is it rising so quickly?

Even when I tried to think of the cause, nothing came to mind. Was it because of the atmosphere of the place, or because of the trivial ink gift and letter, or because of the level 10 emotion potion?

When the conversation died down, Gelta spoke up.

“Actually, there was another reason we had to move at this time. Today there’s a celebration for my first achievement.”

They even do things like that. Anyway, these bastards must really be short on people. Their desire to somehow encourage and increase productivity is clearly evident.

Perhaps I missed my timing to speak, as Gelta looked at me and asked.

“So, would you like to come along?”

“Of course. It would be an honor.”

If it had followed the novel’s development, she probably would have gone with Eric Asman, but this…

‘This worked out well.’

If it’s a place where I can encounter other Pleroma, there’s much I can expect.

As I kept looking at her face, Gelda Asmann shrugged and said.

“Shall we do the summoning now?”

We went down underground through the sanctuary.

Entering the room where an altar was prepared, I leaned against the wall and watched the ritual.

‘She’s using her own blood.’

I should ask about the principles in detail later.

Gelda Asmann grasped her pendant again and opened her mouth.

―You shall become like God, knowing good and evil.

Genesis.

But at the same time, it’s also a passage from Faust.

What’s questionable is that those are the devil’s words.

As soon as she finished speaking, Gelda Asmann turned around with a smile.

“Simple, right? They should have arrived by now.”

* * *

After telling me to wait a moment and going upstairs first, Gelda Asmann called me back to the first floor after finishing her preparations.

Where the pews for worshippers should have been, marble boxes were lined up like graves, and when I approached, I saw children with no trace of blood lying in proper posture.

Gelda Asmann stood in front of them, looking down at a child while stroking her chin.

“This one seems worth raising directly under me.”

“Really?”

“I can see the potential. At this level, they might even make it to the first generation if things go well. Hmm, the one next to them should be sent up as blood material.”

What did I just hear?

Anyway, so this is what Pleroma calls potential.

“To know just by looking, that’s impressive. Why didn’t you use this ability in the outside world?”

“If we could tell out there, Pleroma would have dominated the Empire long ago. It’s hard to determine compatibility in places outside Pleroma’s domain. I think it’s because the air is different…”

Strauchi also talked about not getting addicted to this air and such. These bastards use air as material frequently.

Should I find out about myself?

Since I’ve come to Pleroma’s world, it wouldn’t hurt to know what value I hold to them.

‘Maybe I can use my compatibility with other Pleroma.’

“Then what about me?”

“….”

Gelta’s eyes flashed with a light that suggested she didn’t really want to find out.

‘I must be completely compatible…’

Well, just looking at my magical power would give the answer.

As if proving my guess correct, Gelta grabbed and lifted my hand, saying.

“…Should we not go to the party?”

“It’s a celebration for your Achievement, so we should go.”

Like I would miss this opportunity.

I smiled and shook my head.

Gelta nodded repeatedly and continued speaking.

“Once this job is finished, I’ll make you a 1st generation.”

“….”

“But promise me. Even if other Pleroma say the same thing to you, don’t listen to them.”

I learned something new.

It seems there’s performance competition regarding the ‘mission.’

And I’m currently considered potential high-level personnel here.

‘This is working out well.’

I smiled and turned Gelta’s hand to place it over mine.

“Would I listen to other people?”

* * *

I listen.

I came here with the intention of listening.

I leaned against the wall, looking around the banquet hall where music was flowing.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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